Newsletter # 17

2014-10-14

Welcome to the most recent issue of the international version of the Austrian Network Biofuels Newsletter. Within please find condensed information on research, implementation and policy in the area of biofuels as well as event notes. Please feel free to send any information you would like to disseminate through the newsletter or any feedback you might have.

2014-10-14 | International | project | SNG

IEA AMF project on Methane Fuelled Heavy Duty completed

Methane is looked upon as one suitable alternative for the transport sector and can be used either in the form of gas (CNG) or liquid (LNG). When methane is a substitute for diesel fuel in heavy duty vehicles at the current state of technology development the climate benefit (reduction of GHG) will be small or even negative. However, if methane is of non-fossil origin and used as compressed biogas (CBG) or liquefied biogas (LNG), the emissions of GHG could be significantly reduced.

The IEA Bioenergy Task 41 joint project with AMF (Advanced Motor Fuels) on the 'Enhanced emission performance and fuel efficiency of heavy duty methane engines' has been completed and the final report and a summary brochure are now available.

2014-10-14 | International | publication | emissions

Climate-forcing F-gases – new report published

Fluorinated gases (F-gases) are emitted into the atmosphere in relatively small quantities, but their effect on climate change is increasingly significant. These substances are very powerful greenhouse gases, with a warming effect thousands of times greater than CO2 in many cases. The gases were originally phased in to replace the chemicals which were found to be harming the ozone layer. They are used in many different products, including refrigerators, air conditioning units and aerosol cans. Measured in 'CO2-equivalent' tons, showing their effect on the climate, F-gases currently make up approximately 2 % of the EU's overall greenhouse gas emissions. This proportion has increased as F-gas emissions have grown by almost 60 % since 1990.

The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published a new report showing production, use, import, export and destruction of these substances in 2013.

2014-10-14 | International | press release | biofuels

After years of discussions and uncertaintyfor the industry, the dossier of emissions from indirect land use change (ILUC) is going into second reading in the European Parliament this autumn. While the Leaders of Sustainable Biofuels welcome the fact that a closure of the file lies within reach they would like to underline the necessity to create enough room for advanced biofuels to grow up to 2020 and beyond, eventually becoming an integral part of Europe’s future energy mix.

The Leaders of Sustainable Biofuels (LSD) is an association of advanced biofuel producers.

2014-10-14 | USA | call | R&D

US funding for algae biofuel development

The U.S. Department of Energy has opened a $25 million funding opportunity for algae biofuels. The initiative aims to reduce the cost of algae biofuel to less than $5 per gasoline gallon equivalent by 2019. The DOE has set a goal to achieve a cost of $3 by 2030.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy will fund Targeted Algal Biofuels and Bioproducts projects with 25 million US$ with the aim to overcome two key barriers to commercializing algal biofuels: the high cost of producing algal biomass and the low yield of target biofuel and bioproduct feedstocks produced from algae. The call will support:

1) the development of algae cultures that produce valuable bioproducts alongside fuels to increase the overall value of the biomass; and

2) the development of crop protection and CO2 utilization technologies to boost culture productivity and yield to reduce the cost of the biomass.

2014-10-14 | EU | press release | Algae

Florence, Italy 1-3 Dec. 2014

The European Algae Biomass Association and the Directorates General for Energy and Research & Innovation of the European Commission in collaboration with DLG are organising the 1st EABA and EC Algae Contractors’ Conference, and the 8th International Algae Congress in Florence.

The objective of the joint Conference is to discuss with all key EU algae stakeholders the progress achieved over the past 7 years since the inception of the 7th Framework Programme and to deliberate on the present status of Algal Biofuels and Products in an effort to benchmark the technological advances in view of deployment of algal biorefineries, commercialising algal biofuels and products and looking ahead to the Horizon 2020 Programme.